


Energy

by FiveStillAlive



Series: Stark [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Loki/Tony eventually, M/M, Thor/Loki established
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-17 10:27:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13657095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveStillAlive/pseuds/FiveStillAlive
Summary: Loki and Thor must go to Earth to deal with some of the mess Odin left behind.The Stark man takes up irritating Loki immediately.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously did not mean this to be a Frostiron fic. Tony damn well put himself on that dick.

Thor leaned against the training room wall, watching his brother in the ring. Loki didn't always train with them, as she had her magic to attend to, but she had to practice combat as well.

Another three warriors went over the ring's edge, leaving Loki standing alone again. She tossed a knife in the air, showing off.

Hmm, she was still in her female form. Perhaps Thor should have mentioned that on Midgard. They seemed to have some very strange ideas about gender. Well, perhaps the difference in her appearance would make it easier for them to forget their animosity.

"What can you do without magic?" Fen called. "Come on, Trickster, show us a fair fight."

Loki eyed Fen coolly. The two had never exactly gotten along, but Fen made a point of antagonizing Loki. Thor suspected Loki rather preferred that to the polite coldness many others aimed at her. "But as you say, I'm a trickster. I don't fight fair."

"So show us your tricks! Or do you have no more than magic?"

There was a murmur of interest, and the master in charge of the younger warriors said "Yes, it would be good for the students to learn the methods of an opponent who... uses your style of combat."

Thor smiled at the master's attempt at diplomacy.

Loki watched one of the young women climb onto the platform, and nodded consent. "Very well. For example...." She crooked her fingers, gesturing the young woman over, and put an arm around her shoulder so that Loki stood at her back, with a knife to her throat.

Then she spoke into the young woman's ear, tone low and dark. "If you behave politely, many people will simply let you put a knife to their throat."

The youth squeaked, and tried to jab her elbow back into Loki's ribs, as she would have been taught. Loki dodged it, and with a flash of magic to guard her blade, slashed it viciously across her throat. The warrior staggered away, clutching her throat for a second before realizing only magic had touched her.

Thor rolled his eyes, but then chuckled at the display. For all Loki's disinterest in other lovers, she did enjoy her own strange version of seduction. For certain, the young warrior's heart would race every time she saw Loki.

"But that's just a trick!" someone called.

Loki spread her arms, as if to say 'ta da!'

"And what if your opponent is not so trusting?" Fen asked, approaching the ring.

"There are always limits, but misdirection is a powerful tool. Would you like a go?"

Fen climbed up, and began circling Loki in combat stance. Loki kept her hands folded behind her back in lecturer's pose, only turning slowly to keep facing Fen. "Of course, 'Look over there!' is always good, but let's skip that for now." she said, in a casual lecturer's tone. "Simply facing your opponent directly and showing a disinterest in responding with a fight throws warriors of many worlds off. Be honest, Fen. It disturbs you that I'm not reacting defensively. You feel it's difficult to attack me when I am signaling non-violence."

"You've got me there, Trickster!" Then Fen lunged at Loki, stabbing forward.

A brief dance ensued, of Loki dodging and Fen pivoting to take advantage, and Loki spinning away again. Loki never unclasped her hands.

Then Fen was circling again.

"Now, this is hardly a long-term solution, and ineffective if the opponent has already been warmed up in combat with others." Loki continued, in the same lecturing tone, though she drew a knife. "At some point I will need to kill Fen." She gave Fen a dangerous mockery of a smile. "You have learned to match your opponent's tempo, I assume?"

"Yes sir." one of the young warriors said, hesitantly.

"You should be aware then, that your opponent will also match tempos with you. If you time it correctly.... Ah. Yes. Fen, you are following my pace now, correct?"

Fen's face made a range of expressions, before he admitted, "Yes."

"Once you control the pace, you merely w-" Loki struck suddenly, stabbing a false knife into Fen's ribs before he could even complete a step back. Loki nodded to him and drew away. "...wait, until the moment they have fully exhaled. It's only a split-second advantage, but in close combat it can be immensely helpful."

Loki circled cautiously backward from Fen, knives drawn defensively. "As I said, misdirection does have its limits. For example, now I'm in a ring with a particular annoyed Asgardian warrior." She sounded nervous.

Fen gave her an aggressive smile. "Yes, you are!" He lunged for Loki, swinging. He anticipated Loki's dodge and caught her, allowing Loki close enough to wrap a leg around his and shove him out of the ring, ending the match.

Loki straightened her clothes fussily. "As a last resort, show fear. It draws mercy, over-confidence, or both."

There was a smattering of somewhat confused applause, and laughter. Fen picked himself up, looking more amused than embarrassed. The training master clapped Loki on the shoulder, thanking her, and Loki hopped off the platform and walked towards Thor.

"And did you enjoy the show?"

"How many techniques like that do you use against me in the bedroom?"

Loki laughed softly. "I barely know where the tricks end and I begin, brother." Her teeth snapped in the air as she passed, as if to bite Thor's throat, but she didn't break stride as she left the training room.

Thor followed. "All is well here, I take it?"

"You were gone all morning. As you can see, I've completely taken over, thrown all your supporters into the underworld, rebuilt my statue, and begun planning conquest of three other realms."

Thor didn't like how quickly that list came to Loki. "You'll have to put that on hold." he said with a smile. "We are needed on Midgard."

Loki finally stopped and turned to him. "I very much doubt Midgard has requested me."

There was far too much truth in that. They knew Loki had fought against Thanos, heroically protecting both their world and Asgard. But they had not fought side by side, and learned to trust each other. They still thought of Loki first as their invader. Thor had reminded them that he had not stolen Loki away; they had surrendered Loki to Asgardian justice, and must accept the results.

Besides, Loki would know more of strange creatures that could not be photographed or captured, and buzzed in and out of existence. If anything, Midgard had more need of Loki than of Thor. He had told the Avengers that. They had reluctantly accepted Thor bringing Loki with him, as long as Thor kept her "on a tight leash", as Stark put it. Clint and Natasha had both refused to be near her, and left the tower.

"But they do need you. Some creatures have been coming to their world. They show up as black spots in their pictures. They seem to come in and out of existence at will, so they cannot easily be captured or killed. We must determine what they are, and why they are coming to Midgard."

That got Loki's interest. "Black spots? What kind of camera?"

Thor was momentarily taken aback. He sometimes forgot Loki had spent time on Midgard other than invading. "Uh...."

Loki waved it away. "Nevermind. But I hardly need to go there; I'm sure if you bring me a proper description-"

"Loki, these things are clearly not of their world. I have a responsibility to Midgard against such threats. Will you not support me?"

Loki took a slow, dangerous breath, realizing she was in a trap, and not happy with it. "And how long will we need to be there?"

Thor gave her his best 'This'll be fun!' smile. "Could be weeks! Come on!"

\-----------------

Valkyrie was left in charge, and Loki was hurried off to Midgard. She rather thought the haste was to prevent her from preparing too much trouble. As if Thor could simply force her into behaving in front of his friends.

They landed on the roof of that Stark man's tower. They were clearly expected, as Stark and the soldier were both waiting.

What a mood-killer. Loki had been so enjoying riding lightning with Thor; it was always thrilling. She glared at the powerful little mortals in cold challenge.

They were both frowning.

"Uh... I thought you were bringing Loki." Stark said.

Thor blinked at them and waved an arm at Loki. "Yes, as I said."

"That's a woman." Stark said firmly. "Loki is a man. I distinctly remember, from when he threw me out a window."

Loki smirked. Good times.

"No, I think that's Loki." the soldier said, uncertainly.

Loki made a dismissive noise. "Simple creatures. Do Midgardians never change what they are?"

Stark approached boldly. "Some do, honey, but none of them are quite so convincing." He got well into Loki's space, and looked openly down her body. "Maybe you could show me just how advanced your methods are."

These primitives were disgusting. She gave Thor a look that told him this was entirely predictable, and therefore his fault. Then she picked Stark up with both arms and tossed him over the edge of the building.

"Loki!" Thor made to go over after him, but Loki stopped him, nodding to the suit already following him down.

The soldier seemed to have already realized Stark was in no real danger. In fact, there was just a hint on his face suggesting a rather righteous satisfaction at Stark being tossed off a tower. "Well, that was bound to happen."

Stark also seemed to accept his fate, and simply landed back on the roof, mask already open. "Fine. I'll take that as a maybe."

Thor clapped a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Indeed. This is my brother Loki. Sometimes she takes this form."

"You use 'she' and 'her' pronouns?" the soldier asked, simply confirming. Loki gave him a thoughtful look, and nodded.

"Yeah, how's that work?" Stark demanded.

Loki's head snapped around to him. "It's no concern of yours." she growled. How dare he! He was no intimate, to question her on such a matter!

Stark held up his armored hands defensively. "Alright, sweetheart, whatever you say."

"Such a good start." Thor sighed. "Let's see those pictures again. Perhaps you can make some sense of them, brother."

The soldier made a noise of agreement, and led them inside. Stark followed, leaving his suit.

The soldier led them down to what he said was Banner's lab, where the little man was doing some kind of analysis of a viscous substance.

"Hey, so, everyone survived? Good...." He looked at Loki uncertainly. Loki barely looked at him, surveying the lab. The beast was here. How lovely. "Uh.... Is that...? Who's that?"

The soldier started to say something, but the Stark man interrupted. "Reindeer Games got himself a new body. She's clearly in love with me, as you can see."

"Stark." Thor said, voice warning.

"Uh...." The little beast vessel still looked confused. "Okay, well, do you want to see what we have?"

"Yes." Loki went around Thor, who had taken up a barrier position between her and Stark. She bent over Banner's shoulder, and let him explain the footage and what he'd gotten from the residue some of the creatures had left.

"I'd need to see them to be sure, but they may simply be wraiths. Odin's death would have left a great deal for them."

That pulled Thor away from glaring at the Stark man. "Don't try to scare them, Loki. Wraiths are harmless."

"Because they are too weak to cause harm. Usually."

"What- ah... What are wraiths?" Banner asked, as though hesitant to interrupt.

"Scavengers. They pass from the afterlife into our world to feed on the residue left after death." Loki ran a finger over a picture, trying to be certain through the dark distortion.

"Yes." Thor said, firmly. "But they are invisible and undetectable except to those with training in magic, or perhaps a special sight. And just as well, as they cause no harm."

"Usually!" Loki insisted. "But there have been cases where wraiths seem to turn predatory. It's theorized it happens when they gain enough strength." She looked at Thor pointedly. "Perhaps from a few years of feeding off the death of an ancient god?"

Thor clenched his jaw.

"Odin died here, Thor, and no rituals were performed. Not until too late and much too far." She wanted badly to point out that this was yet another mess his horrible beloved father had left for them to clean up. But he would only turn around and blame her for Odin's death, as if she caused time to pass.

"So, if that's what these are, what do we do about them? What are these rituals?" the soldier asked.

"It's much too late for that; the energy's had years to disperse and be fed upon. These attacks aren't near each other, are they?"

"No, they're all over." Banner confirmed.

Hmm. "They will eventually stop on their own, but that could take years."

"Not an option." the soldier said firmly.

"Is there a spell, Loki?" her brother was at her shoulder. Oh, how she liked him asking with such appreciation, rather than the demands or mockery of their youth.

"I do not know of one, but I may be able to make something work." Perhaps the ritual to settle Odin's energy could be modified to work globally... but no, that would only cause the wraiths to go into a desperate hunt, and then vanish completely. Something to weaken the wraiths back to scavengers, then. "I will have to think on this."

\-------------

Apparently Midgardians couldn't just mind their own business about Loki's form and pronouns. They ate some kind of Asian food that night, sitting on the floor around a low table. Loki nudged her brother's ribs and discreetly demonstrated the correct way to use chopsticks, and Thor picked it up quickly. As they ate, conversation doggedly returned to gender.

Loki tried to stay out of it. The Midgardians seemed to be trying to explain their own vocabulary to each other. They talked about 'transgender' a lot, and 'genderfluid' and 'gender identity', and Steve, who seemed to be the knowledgeable one, lectured Stark on manners regarding pronouns. 

The vocabulary was simpler on Asgard. Sometimes people changed. Shapeshifting was Loki's unique trick, but switching between man, woman, or neither was common enough. Anyway, it was common enough to be easily accepted, and not require this... dissection. It certainly was not questioned and scrutinized by those one barely knew.

"But!" Stark waved a tiny glass of alcohol for emphasis. "If sheeee" The annoying man dragged the word out to satisfy Steve. "is still the same person, then... he's still the same person! If your body can change whenever you fucking want, that doesn't mean you're changing. I can put boobs on my suits, I'm still a man!"

"Yeah, but if you change your appearance as an expression of-"

"Biologically," Banner lifted a finger, "we have no idea what her internal arrangement or chromosomes are, assuming those even work like humans' do."

"Yeah, sweetheart. Does the plumbing match the drapes?"

"Can you stop being such a jerk, Tony?" Steve protested.

Thor made another attempt to change the topic, questioning Stark loudly about his newest invention. The appeal to the man's egomaniacal side didn't work, amazingly.

"Inventions? You know, right now I'm a little more interested in biology. Maybe you can help with that, Lokes?"

Fuck it. If Thor couldn't control his friends, Loki would. "I'm afraid I work with advanced pupils only. You wouldn't be able to keep up."

"I'm a pretty fast learner."

"Oh, indeed?" Loki watched the pushy man intently and began slowly circling her chopsticks.

"Yeah, try me out, darling, I- Oh, shit!" Stark looked down at his lap in shock, where the sensations crawling into him were utterly invisible. "Oh... shit, oh fuck, what- fuck!" He leaned back on his elbows, practically knocked there, and Loki twirled the second chopstick into a complementing pattern. "Fuck! Yeah, okay! Advanced class, I got it!"

Loki put the chopsticks down. Thor chuckled, the sound rich and lovely and just a tiny bit dark. Perfect.

"You had that coming, Stark!" he said.

"You really did." Steve sounded exasperated.

Banner just coughed uncomfortably.

"Really, I thought with all that talk you'd make it a bit farther than that." Loki let herself sound a bit disappointed. "All that would get me from an Asgardian would be a wink across the table."

Stark gave a breathless laugh, and winked at her.

Eventually the meal wound down. Steve sighed and looked at Loki. "I guess we should get you a room."

Loki blinked and looked up at Thor. "Didn't they even give you a bed big enough to share, brother?"

Thor looked just as confused. "Of course."

"But you don't need to." Steve said quickly. "We have plenty of empty rooms. They're just as nice."

"But-"

"If you're scared to sleep alone, sweetie- HEY!" Stark jumped backward as the front of his shirt caught fire. A moment later the flames vanished, leaving both him and the shirt undamaged.

"Really, we don't need a second room. We hardly even use separate rooms at home." Thor explained.

There was an awkward silence.

"Because... you're still rebuilding Asgard, and space is limited?" Banner suggested.

Thor smiled warmly. "No, Asgard's reconstruction is well past that!"

Loki sighed tiredly. These Midgardians were exhausting and intrusive. They probably had some primitive, backward taboo that would prohibit Thor and Loki sleeping together. "Fine, yes, show me this room." If they were here for long, she'd want some space away from Thor eventually.

Banner and Stark had started arguing about how the bifrost worked - they were both wrong - so Steve was left playing the host. "We've got an empty room right next to Thor's; two floors up." He led them up the stairs. Loki noted some of the security built into the place, and was sure she wasn't seeing all of it.

Steve opened a door and gestured in. "Tony springs for all the fancy stuff; just ask Jarvis if you need anything."

Loki started to enter, prepared to continue this thin charade until confirming that she and Thor were lovers had some benefit. Thor immediately ruined that by catching her arm.

"Brother, you aren't so angry as to make me sleep alone tonight?"

Loki let herself be pulled against him, but gave him a chastising look. It was a weak one. Thor did so hate to sleep alone.

Steve coughed. "So you two really are, um... sleeping together?"

Thor looked surprised. "Yes, of course!"

"I mean, you're, ah...."

"We are lovers." Loki said coolly. "We have sex. Thor sticks his cock in me."

Thor muttered something about "Not when you're in this form." Loki ignored him. Anyway, she'd had Thor's cock in her mouth plenty in this form.

"And then we both orgasm. Are you people always this concerned about other people's genitals?"

"Sorry, sorry!" Steve shook his head. "Um. Well, ask Jarvis if you need anything, and I'm just one level down. Good night."

"Rest well, friend." Thor said, and pulled Loki into his room.

\------------

The room was smaller than they had on Asgard, and the bath wasn't as nice, but that was only to be expected. It was a fine room, Loki supposed. It could do without the pile of fan mail that had been left for Thor.

"You didn't give me time to pack anything." she said irritably.

"You could sleep naked. I intend to." He kissed her neck, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Is that why you dragged me here in such a rush?" It was an easy game between them; Thor maneuvering to get her bare, while Loki preferred to be clothed, especially in this form.

Thor chuckled. "There is a very large closet. I'm sure you can find something."

Of his. She would look ridiculous, swimming in one of his shirt. She supposed he'd like that. "I could sleep in my armor."

"Mmm, that would be very inconvenient to my cunning plan."

She laughed at that, and turned in his arms, to kiss him properly. "You're going to have to work very hard to keep me motivated. You realize that, don't you? Modifying a spell to work on such a large scale will be tedious, and there are so many fun distractions on this world." They had this internet thing here, which opened so many exciting possibilities. She pushed her thigh against Thor's cock. "You'll just have to keep me so well-sated I can't even think of causing trouble."

"Oh, so you guessed my plan already?"

She tangled her fingers in his hair, and pulled him toward the bed. "As long as you understand your duties in this matter...."

Thor tumbled her onto the bed, and demonstrated that he understood his duties quite well indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	2. Chapter 2

There really wasn't much to do. Loki spent hours alternating between staring into space and scribbling strange diagrams, or working with Banner to find a way to perhaps take advantage of this world's technology. Thor was not much help.

He had never considered before that between disasters, the Avengers didn't do much.

Well, they kept busy. Tony, of course, was always inventing new things. Banner had his research. Steve was involved in charities and SHIELD training programs. It turned out his lover, Bucky, was with him as well, though he was rarely seen in the tower's common areas. Others popped in and out of the tower, but didn't stay long.

Thor went with Steve to one of the charities, but bringing Loki was obviously impractical. When they got back they found Loki elbow deep in network infrastructure, whatever that was, and Tony unconscious. She'd somehow charmed Jarvis into assisting her, even.

Loki had protested that she was only studying Midgardian technology, not hurting anything, and had rendered Stark unconscious due to his persistence toward her.

Now Thor only went with Steve when he was training with SHIELD agents, because he could bring Loki along for that. Loki wasn't happy about being dragged along like baggage, but that just made things more interesting. She certainly enjoyed her games with the agents.

After about a week, Stark's security system caught Loki trying to escape the tower. Loki had furiously protested that she'd only been going out to get some clothes, and she hated being trapped in one place like this. She wouldn't say it, but she was clearly becoming frustrated with the challenge the wraiths presented. Thor had grabbed Loki around the waist and shot them into the air by lightning, and taken Loki somewhere isolated and wild, where they'd played chase and hunted each other to exhaustion, playing like children.

The next day, Loki had a closet full of fashionable clothes, courtesy of Stark.

\-----------

For a few moments he couldn't find Loki. Always a worrying thing. But when he left his room he saw a light under Loki's little-used door.

She must still be examining the outfits Tony had gotten her. The vain thing.

Smiling fondly, Thor strode into Loki's room, opening his mouth to speak, and felt the words die as he saw Loki. His brother was standing in front of her mirror, in a very revealing dress, beautifully suited to her female form.

The sight lasted only a moment, a blink. He saw Loki's startled face, a flare of light over her, and Loki was in her usual clothes again.

Loki was giving him an annoyed scowl. "Did you need something?"

Thor grinned. Loki hardly ever wore dresses, especially not ones that showed cleavage like that! She paid a great deal of attention to what she wore, yes, but she thoroughly covered herself, wrists to toes. Catching her playing dress up, admiring her own scantily clad form in a mirror, was... well, adorable! "I saw that."

Loki glared at him, and crossed her arms petulantly. "Bound to happen, when you come barging into my room unannounced."

Thor ignored that. "So, either that was an illusion, which you've now ended, or this is an illusion, and you're really wearing that. And I've never known you to create illusions for yourself."

Loki bared her teeth in a snarl as Thor approached.

Thor strode right up to her, and put his hands on Loki's hips. Loki cursed and threatened him while he ran his hands down, fingers gathering the skirt he couldn't see or feel. Then with his hands seemingly clutching empty air by Loki's thighs, he jerked his brother forward. Loki stumbled into him, and the illusion broke, revealing the dress.

Loki shoved him away. "Damn you!"

Thor laughed, and claimed a kiss in triumph, pulling her close. "Mmm, you should wear dresses like this all the time!"

"Too bad, I'm never doing it again!" She squirmed against his hold, fighting the arm slung around her waist.

"I had better appreciate it now, then! Didn't Stark say that phone had a camera? Where did it go?"

"Don't you dare!" She fought harder as he pulled her toward the bed, but couldn't entirely contain her laughter. "Let go, I'm changing clothes!"

"I'm definitely getting rid of all clothes that aren't revealing dresses!"

There was a strange squirm of flesh under his arm, just as he tossed Loki flat on the bed, and what landed was a man, smirking up at him like he'd found a loophole.

Thor drank in the sight of him for a moment, chuckling. "You still look gorgeous in it. This does nothing to convince me you should wear anything else."

Loki laughed at him, then gave him a seductive look. "Brother," his voice became low and warm, always a dangerous thing. "Will you help me undress?" He rolled onto his stomach, turning his back to Thor, and looked over his shoulder.

Thor felt his excitement calm to a low burn, and regarded his beloved sibling tenderly. He approached slowly, kneeling beside him on the bed, and ran his hand up Loki's back to the top of the dress's fastenings. Not a zipper, like he'd seen on Jane's formal dress, but a line of tiny buttons. Thor teased his fingers over Loki's exposed shoulders as he found the first one. "How did you get this on?"

"Magic."

"Really?" Thor leaned close enough that the breath of his words teased Loki's bare neck. His hair was pinned up prettily. Loki shivered faintly when Thor's hair trailed over the side of his neck. So responsive. "You really do look absolutely gorgeous in this dress, in either form." He undid buttons slowly, lingering over the task, enjoying seeing Loki's skin revealed.

"I suspect you'd find me gorgeous in an old sack." For a moment, the buttons under his fingers vanished, and rough cloth appeared.

"Shows off your legs." Thor confirmed happily.

Loki dropped the illusion, laughing.

Thor undid the last button, and Loki shrugged the dress off to splay under her. Thor pulled it free and set it safely to the side - he very much wanted to see Loki wear it again - and looked back at his brother just as he was about to casually strip off his undergarment.

"Oh no you don't. You have to let me see you in this." He took Loki's shoulder and pushed him over to his back. He hummed happily, seeing Loki, half-hard already, in lacy black panties, now rather too small to contain him.

"They may look nice, but they're notably less comfortable with external genitalia. They're coming off." But he sounded rather amused as he said it. Off they came.

"Can I let your hair down?"

Loki looked pleased, and sat up to let him. A shiver ran through him as Thor delicately pulled the jeweled hairstick free. Then Thor wrapped his arms around Loki's waist and pulled him into his lap.

"You don't think, just because I haven't been fucked in months, that I'm going to make this easy for you?" Loki didn't let Thor's cock anywhere below her waist when she was a woman, not at all trusting Thor's God of Fertility status.

Thor cupped Loki's cock and rubbed it. "You might. Just to be unpredictable."

Loki laughed.

"I hid all your knives." Not remotely true.

"There are always more knives, brother."

Loki let himself be thoroughly kissed, but then it was he who pushed Thor down, and began rubbing against him. Thor was fine with that! "Oh? So you are eager." Thor smirked.

Loki gave him an annoyed look, and Thor felt his mouth snap shut, and his tongue freeze. "Shush. I'm going to ride you, because I entirely don't trust you to do it right on your own."

Oh, absolutely unacceptable! He grabbed Loki and pinned him onto his back, while Loki laughed. He made short work of his clothes, and paused to take in the sight of Loki, beautifully bare, splayed before him. Really, it was Loki's own loss he'd stilled Thor's mouth, Thor would have put it to all kinds of pleasant use.

He grabbed the oil - 'lube', rather, here on Midgard - and kept Loki pinned with one arm while he prepared him. Loki moaned and gasped sweetly, pushing up onto his fingers. Then Thor took hold of his hair and jerked his head back.

Ask me.

Loki struggled against his hold. "Make me!"

He pulled Loki's hair again, and nuzzled his neck. He pinched one of his nipples, and rubbed his cock teasingly against him.

Ask me!

Loki groaned. "Please, brother, please take my body!" His tone was mocking.

But he had asked. Thor relaxed his grip on Loki's hair, though he didn't quite release him, and slid into Loki.

Ohh. He was tight and warm and strong around him, and Thor could not pretend he had not missed this. He kept his pace gentle and leisurely, savoring the delicious feelings, savoring the intimacy of watching his brother's face while he did this, stroking his skin.

"Mmm, well done, my voiceless slave." Loki purred.

Ha! But Loki loved to weave stories.

"You're so well built for this, slave. I am glad that I captured you."

Thor felt the magic move from his mouth to his throat, leaving him just as voiceless, but able to use his tongue and lips and teeth. The greedy little cheat! He put it to immediate use on Loki's lovely throat, biting and sucking.

Loki made a breathy little moan. "Oh! If you keep doing so well, I may let you finish inside me."

He gave Loki's hair another tug, but Loki just laughed. His arms came around Thor, and brushed lovingly through his hair, and down his back.

"You can do better than that, slave!"

The room changed, the light changed, the smells changed, Thor's own mind hazed, and he half forgot where he was, who he was. Loki was a powerful foreign king, too powerful for Thor, decorated in gold and jewels and spiraling tattoos. Thor had been captured, and humbled by the glory and power of this magnificent king, was honored to be kept as his personal slave, and allowed to please this glorious god!

Thor took his arm from Loki's chest, and lifted his hips, and began hitting hard the angle he knew Loki liked best. Loki gasped and clutched at him.

"Oh! Yes, don't stop!" He panted for breath. "Do not stop! Ah! Very good, slave, very good!"

Yes, yes, he wanted to do a good job, to please Loki, the glorious creature that graced him with attention! He kept a tight grip on Loki's hair, and bit his way down his chest.

Loki's breath became urgent, and he squeezed his legs around Thor. "Yes! Brother!"

The illusion wavered, but Thor's lust and determination didn't. He bit down over Loki's heart, where he could see it racing, and Loki gasped and came.

His grip on Thor didn't loosen. "Finish in me, please!" The illusion dissolved completely, and Thor was himself again, being invited to spill inside his brother. Oh, it was even better!

Loki was trembling with overstimulation, and clutching him close, and barely able to breathe. It was glorious. Thor took his mouth as he came, and pumped himself deep into Loki.

He kissed Loki more gently, as he pulled out. "I love you." Oh, his voice was back. "Don't you let a drop of that escape."

Loki chuckled. "Oh? How filthy."

"I spent the last few months wanting to get a child on you. Absolutely took over my every fantasy." He lifted Loki's hips, so gravity was on his side. "Drove me completely mad. Not one drop!"

"Mmm, alright, alright."

Thor relaxed, and kissed over Loki's body. He knew Loki couldn't get a child in this form, of course, but he was a healthy Asgardian male, with the normal desires of such. The idea of filling Loki with his seed had held such a powerful attraction for him lately. He started to drift off.

"I almost had you as a slave on Sakaar, you know."

That woke him. "What?"

"The Grandmaster offered you to me, to pay my gamble if you survived the arena. You escaped before he could give you to me." He stroked Thor's hair. "I knew he wouldn't let you win, but that was my bet. That you would survive."

"And if you lost?"

Loki sighed. "Oh, I would have been his star at orgies, as long as he wished. What would it matter?"

Thor grimaced. He hated how casually Loki let himself be misused. He never understood why he couldn't satisfy himself on Asgardians, who would never treat him so. Well, anymore he only shared Thor's bed, so that was one less worry. "And what would you have done with me?"

"Everything in my power to keep you. I'd thought you were dead. I was certain you'd die if you went after Hela." He gave Thor's hair a little tug. "You would have, if I hadn't shown up. You had no escape plan at all! You brought a tiny ship! Your entire plan was to die gloriously fighting her! At best, you might have set off Ragnarok and taken her with you!"

"I knew you'd follow."

"You knew I'd bring a big enough ship?" Loki sounded annoyed.

"I knew you'd have a better plan than I did." Loki usually did.

"It isn't difficult to do. Go to sleep, slave."

He cuddled up with his brother, and they slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	3. Chapter 3

Loki was at the breakfast table, watching Thor scramble eggs. Of course his brother would still be baffled by the simplest Midgardian technology, but had immediately mastered breakfast foods. Loki would guess Jane was not the only recent mortal to enjoy his brother's... cooking.

Thor presented him with a full plate, including bacon, with vegetables in the eggs, and a glass of orange juice.

"Do you think me one of your mortal playthings?" He reclined in his seat like a throne, barely glancing at the offering.

Thor grinned, took out his own hair clip, and let Loki see that it was his from Asgard, with delicate engravings and inlays that properly displayed his rank. Then he put it in Loki's hair. "Now eat your breakfast, you spoiled brat."

Loki smiled, and did so.

Steve came downstairs. "Hey, uh... guys."

Oh yes. He'd changed again, so the Midgardians would insist on commenting.

Steve, at least, had some manners, and just started chatting with Thor about something or another.

Stark stomped in, and smacked a stack of uneven envelopes down in front of Loki. "Oh look, you're a guy again. Cool. Why the hell do you have fan mail? HOW the hell do you have fan mail?"

Loki put a hand over his heart, overacting innocent surprise. "For me?"

"You have fangirls. They're all over the internet, and they all think your face is stupidly gorgeous."

Thor sighed. "Loki, what did you do?"

"Did you just want Midgard to continue hating me forever, brother?"

"And that you're a poor sad puppy in need of a hug. Oh, and you're a queer icon!"

Steve just looked baffled. "But how? He's with Thor almost every minute."

Thor was rounding the table to Loki. "Whatever sorcery you've cast-"

"No spell!" Loki held up his hands urgently, to stay Thor's. "Just... making an attempt to repair my image a bit. Really, Thor, do you intend to treat me as your prisoner every time you drag me here?"

"But how? I have security."

Loki rolled his eyes. Though really, it wasn't that Stark's security precautions weren't impressive. He'd just made the rather glaring error of giving Thor a smartphone. Of course, Loki anticipated the monitoring systems it would have, so he'd switched it with Steve's phone the first chance he'd gotten. Neither of them were competent enough with the devices to notice. Loki picked up one of the envelopes and casually tore it open. "Oh my. I didn't tell them that." It was a lovely drawing of him in his horned helm, with Thor kneeling naked at his feet.

"Yeah, they do that." Steve said, clearing his throat. "A lot, actually."

Loki looked up at the soldier. "Your world is very strange."

\----------------

Loki was frustrated. It was was better than bored, but not by much.

Thor had been irritating him. There was a reason he usually only stayed on Asgard a few weeks at a time, before running off to find business or trouble elsewhere. Here there was no escape. He'd sworn up and down not to cause trouble, and sent Thor out to play with Steve.

He was getting stuck on this spell. On how to make it work everywhere, without damaging anything but the wraiths. He kept turning over ideas in his mind, trying to make them fit, and nothing quite did. So he found his way to Stark's lab.

He veiled himself, but apparently that was insufficient, as Jarvis announced his presence. Loki dropped the veil.

"Hey there, gorgeous. What brings you down?"

"Curiosity. What is it you create down here?" He paced around the space slowly, examining the strange contraptions, hoping for inspiration.

"Bit of everything. Trying to work out a good way to trap our visitors, when they show again. But, hey, no way to test it. Don't suppose you want to volunteer?"

He smiled tightly. "I'm certain Thor would be better suited."

"Uh huh." He watched Loki, as if uncertain if he was a danger. Good. "I'd love to give you a tour, but somehow showing off my lab of dangerous toys to a god of chaos seems like a bad idea."

"Are you always so cautious and... responsible?" He gave Stark a brief look, suggesting he'd be very disappointed by that.

"That's me. Mr. Caution."

Plans began to form, to steal anything in this fascinating workroom. Anything at all! The stealing was the goal, not the having. Something challenging, and dangerous. He was so frustrated! He usually had several plans running at once, so at any time at least one of them would be making progress. But he'd been pulled away from all his secret plans for the city's seemingly eternal construction, and all his delicate games with offworlders who might become friend or foe to Asgard. Had Thor even considered the damage that interrupting such processes might do? He hadn't, of course; he always discounted Loki's work, even when he did appreciate the results.

But stealing something seemed so trivial. He had no larger goals to serve here, and the petty chaos of his youth - he thought of all his centuries before knowing of his parentage as such, now - no longer held the same attraction. He was sure he'd fall back on it eventually, but he longed for more substantial challenges.

Or perhaps a game.

"What do you people do for entertainment on this world?" he asked.

Stark shrugged. "What does anyone do? I like fast things, explosions, and pretty company. Why, what do you do?"

Fast things. Oh yes, the little mortals had a taste for artificial thrills. Loki preferred to risk consequences. "I rearrange interplanetary politics and occasionally fight dragons."

"Right. And when you're not doing that, what do Asgardians do for fun?"

Ah, they didn't know he wasn't Asgardian. He'd wondered how much Thor had told them. But he frowned at the question. "Contests of strength, for the warriors. Feasts. Theater is popular."

"Theater? Well, we've got that. Jarvis, what's on Broadway? Go ahead and take out anything with brothers killing each other to steal the throne."

Loki tilted his head. "Oh? Are you taking me out?"

Stark was scrolling a list in midair, presumably of plays, and swiping some out. "Yeah. Do you need a leash, or can you handle yourself?"

Loki didn't deign to answer that. They had... a lot of plays. Some benefit to being on such a populated world.

"Hey, right, let's see the new one by the Hamilton guy. It's booked out for about the next two and a half years. Jarvis, get us good seats. When's the next show?"

"Eight o'clock, sir."

"Perfect."

Loki regarded him coolly. "You don't think you're going to impress me with expenditure, surely. I am a prince of Asgard, and a god." It was rather refreshing to be courted so, admittedly. Asgardians rarely put much effort into him, knowing they would be turned down. When they did, it was rather direct and brutish. Asgardians, always eager to share their beds, tended to court over hours, at most, not days. Loki offworld explorations had been... extensive, but always he had either been using seduction for a larger goal, or seeking convenient degradation.

"No, I'm going to impress you by getting you on magazine covers." Stark closed out the display he'd been working on. "Go change, we're going out!"

\----------

The play was quite interesting. Loki didn't understand many of the references, of course, and it seemed to draw on historical events, but Midgardians certainly put effort into these things. The costumes and set design were wonderful, and the lighting was very cleverly used! Loki only admitted to finding it tolerably entertaining, and Stark insisted on taking him to a restaurant that did some kind of sushi.

Outside the restaurant, he discovered that people of note on Midgard were hunted by people with cameras. He'd seen fawning women approach his brother, of course, but these seemed to be professionals, and pushy. They were ambushed getting out of the car. Their pictures were taken. Questions were asked. Loki was torn between enjoying the attention and detesting the impertinence.

His newly developed fanbase online had an noticeable effect on the tone of the questions. He had been disguising himself as others and putting word around that he had been under mind-control by Thanos when he'd attacked New York. It was a simplified version of the truth, but he was hardly going to go into detail with these people. Loki had decided on a balance for his public persona - not guilty of war crimes, but hardly one of their safe and cuddly Avengers. Stark led them through the noisy things quickly, in any case.

He noticed the high visibility of their table. Stark enjoyed being seen.

"Well, you're definitely coming to my next fundraiser. I had to pull you off them!"

"A wild exaggeration. And you've hardly hidden us away."

Stark grinned. "I promised you a magazine cover. Look photogenic, now!"

"I am always photogenic." As if he could be otherwise. "My compliments to whoever picked my wardrobe, by the way."

"Jarvis, mostly."

"Excellent taste, especially for a disembodied creature. He gave me a wide selection. And," He shifted his form, wanting to show off for the camera-armed hunters. "I've always favored clothes that suit me in either form."

Stark grinned. "Oh, they definitely suit you."

She leaned back in her chair to regard Stark. "Why are you doing this?"

"A desperate bid to impress you, obviously. You're the most gorgeous person I've ever seen, and then it turns out you can turn into the other most gorgeous person I've ever seen."

"Ah. The changing intrigues you." A bit disappointing. Midgardians were positively preoccupied with genitals. She very much doubted this man hoped to get a child on her, as Midgardians seemed far less interested in that, so his only interest in that would be the cheap novelty of it.

"Well, obviously. But don't get me wrong, honey, you had my attention when you were strutting around my tower bragging about your army."

"Armies do have that effect." Plates of food were brought, and alcohol. Loki picked up the glass and examined it. "And I suppose taking me about so publicly can only improve your reputation as a man of power."

Stark gestured at a servant and requested a stronger drink. "Come on now, surely it's mutual. Whatever evil plan you've got brewing can only be helped by getting close to me."

Loki gave the man the slightly mad grin that so worried Thor. "You flatter yourself. Your messy little world is not worth plotting over. It has no power worth stealing, and would be tiresome to rule."

"You didn't think so before."

"Exceptional circumstances." She waved the matter away. "I've discovered that acquiring power is much more interesting than holding it. I leave that to Thor." But she so desperately needed a game. This outing had provided only the most passing of distractions. She gave Stark her most charming smile, the one that always had her brother at her mercy. "Perhaps I'll destroy you. Just for something to do."

"Hey now. I'm sure we can come up with better ways to entertain you!"

"The challenge would be in destroying you in such a way as to not raise the ire of your Avengers. I would ideally destroy you while following all the rules of your society, and hurting no one else."

Stark took his stronger drink from a servant. "Hey, remember when you were going to turn me evil? That didn't work. We should drop this plan."

Loki smirked. "Tell me of something interesting you've built. Something that would interest me." She wanted to hear of power. She wanted to hear ideas, which might spark one in her.

"Well." He picked up chopsticks and waved them expressively. "A while back I got high and built a sex machine that, if I do say so myself, is worthy of the gods."

Loki sighed and stood up, keeping herself invisible while the illusion at the table maintained a conversational holding pattern. Outside, she made a shushing motion to the camera people and winked at them, flaunting herself, while she made use of the valet to locate Tony's car, and let her illusion inside fade just as she sped past the restaurant.

The car shut down less than a minute later, smoothly parking itself while Jarvis' voice apologized for the inconvenience but informed her that she was being held for retrieval. She returned to her male form, deeming it more recognizable, and escaped the car soon enough. He followed the enticing energy of the city down street after street.

Heavily populated worlds always had an interesting nightlife.

\--------------

He had several hot tubs, a giddy club owner, a minor orgy going on the side, and an attentive group listening in awe to his stories when a lightning bolt struck outside. The Midgardians didn't seem to notice a difference from the lights already flashing, but he grimaced.

"Oh. My brother is here to ruin the fun."

"Thor?" Several of them looked excited at that. He rolled his eyes. Well. Let them see Thor angry at him for harmless fun. It could only support his misunderstood queer icon image.

"If only someone could convince him to have some fun with us." he sighed, dramatically.

A few people made the attempt, but Thor barely noticed them. He stormed straight for him. "Loki!"

"Yes, officer?"

Thor grabbed him by the back of his neck, and dragged him, protesting, from the club. Then they were in the air in a flash of lighting.

Loki yelped and got a better hold of Thor. "A little warning!"

"You promised you wouldn't cause trouble!"

"I wasn't! I didn't do anything to those people; I just made the party better!" He squirmed out of Thor's grip as soon as they landed back on the tower roof.

"You stole and destroyed Tony's car!"

"He asked me out; he knew what he was getting into!"

"Stop it!" Thor pointed an authoritative finger at him. Oh, how he must miss his hammer. Loki sneered. "You're acting like a child!"

"What else am I to do?" Loki yelled. "You dragged me here like one! Heimdall won't even open the bifrost for me without you! You pulled me away from all my work, all my projects! The Jathians will probably be in a civil war when we get back, and they won't be much use as a trading partner then, will they?" He liked the surprised look on Thor's face. Thor really never did appreciate what Loki had done.

Asgard used to be insulated, barely acknowledging any world not connected by their bifrost. Loki had been the strange one, running off for weeks at a time, whenever he could slip free, to see other worlds. Now he had turned the new Asgard into an interplanetary trading power. They were small, but Loki disguised that, and traded on the unparalleled skill of their long-lived people. Their crafters made the best, of whatever they chose to make, and Loki had turned that into power. Traders were discouraged from coming to Asgard - they were still so vulnerable, and Asgardians unshakably thought themselves benevolent superiors to all offworlders. But Loki had carefully searched among Asgard's merchants, to find those bold and clever and open-minded enough, and planted the idea of taking business offworld. He cleared the way, arranging treaties and trade agreements, finding safe worlds and contacts, and pointing them at valuable opportunities.

Thor thought it had all kind of just happened on its own, and wasn't terribly important. He knew they had more offworld trade, but didn't recognize it as a significant change in their society. He thought Loki just stumbled into trade agreements lying around, like other treasures, and then they handled themselves. He really didn't think of Loki's travels as anything but a mildly constructive way to get Loki's energy out. Sometimes Loki brought back treasures, sometimes Loki had to be rescued from dungeons, and to Thor's mind they just about evened out.

"I can play small games, or I can play big ones, brother." Loki said, voice low now that he had Thor's full attention. "There are so many things I could do with this world. Such a terribly complicated mess of political and financial systems. I could rebalance their tangled game. Would you like me to?"

"You leave them alone, Loki. It is not for you to rule this world."

"I am working on the spell. I cannot force inspiration. It cannot occupy my every moment. How else do you suggest I occupy myself?"

Thor stared at him for a minute, as if not sure how to answer. Then he grabbed Loki by the back of his neck again and started pulling him into the tower. "I'm going with your suggestion from when we first got here!"

"Let go, I'm not a kitten! What?"

"I am going to keep you too exhausted to make trouble."

"Wha- Thor, don't be ridiculous!"

He was pushed into Thor's room, and tossed onto his bed. He rose to his knees hissing, ready to fight on principle, already ready with a knife in each hand.

Thor pounced on him, catching one hand and deflecting the other. Loki brought it around, stabbing for his back. Thor had to roll off him to dodge, and Loki followed him over, straddling him. Thor guarded his throat, and caught Loki with his legs, unbalancing him. He managed to pin Loki properly on the next try, and Loki writhed under him.

"Keep struggling, and I will tie you down!" Thor growled. "But you like that, don't you?"

Loki tried to bite him, but he pulled his face back. "As if you don't!"

Thor smirked at him, and removed one of the straps from his armor.

Loki craned his neck to watch, fascinated, as Thor wound the strap around Loki's wrists, and to the headboard. He knew his brother had darker tastes, and loved when he let these little hints of them slip out. He so rarely did. Loki almost forgot to struggle!

But then he kneed Thor hard in the ribs. "Well, brother? I'm bound and at your mercy now." he sneered. "What will you do with me?"

Thor pinned him better, taking advantage of his size. "I am going to have you begging and crying for mercy." He purred it into Loki's ear, holding him still with a fist in his hair. "You are going to scream for me again and again, all night long. I am going to empty you out, and leave you completely ruined."

Loki rolled his eyes, as if the words alone didn't have him hard and leaking. "Oh, two orgasms, then? Maybe three?"

Thor grinned, jerked his head back by his hair, and absolutely claimed his mouth.

\------------

Loki whimpered, helplessly shaking with exhaustion and need. "Please! Please, Thor, please!" Please please please!

He had Loki on his knees, whining with frustration. The tip of Thor's cock was in him, holding him stretched and open, but he wouldn't push any farther, no matter how Loki begged and threatened and pleaded and squirmed. He'd gotten Loki off four times already, without fucking him more than this, with his hand absolutely relentless on his cock and balls.

It was about to be five times.

Loki sobbed. "I'll be good, I'll be good! Please, Thor!"

But then Thor stroked firmly over just the right spot, and Loki wailed as he came again.

"Just fuck me! You bastard!"

Thor took his cock out, instead.

Loki fought wildly.

"Shhh, shhh, hush. Oh, you're so lovely, brother. Shh. Do you want me to fuck you?"

"You sadist! You cruel monster!" The headboard was bent under his hands, the mattress torn by impressions of his teeth.

"So rude. Have I not pleased you?"

He big hands turned Loki over, and Loki panted in desperation.

Then his mouth closed over Loki's cock. Loki wailed. "Stop, it's too much!"

Thor drew his mouth back, but only to lick at his balls. "Stop me."

He sobbed. "I can't! I can't use my magic like this!"

"Mmm. You like being dominated, don't you?"

"Yes!" No no no, he couldn't orgasm again; he wouldn't be able to!

"Is this what you wanted?"

"Yes!" Loki keened, broken.

"That's right." Thor kissed across Loki's abdomen. "I'll take care of you, brother."

\------------

When they eventually emerged for food, Loki could barely keep his eyes open, and leaned sleepily on Thor's shoulder when he sat down with their plates.

"Can you two keep it down?" Steve's consort asked, a mix of irritated and embarrassed.

"Yes, Thor, keep it down." Loki said mildly.

"That was definitely you yelling." Steve pointed out.

"But trust me, he's the one who needs to keep it down." He decided it was worth it to open his eyes to see Steve's blush as that sank in.

"Uh huh. What the hell was that about? Asgardians don't, like, go into heat or something, do they?" The Stark man was rude, as usual.

Thor barked laughter, as energetic as ever. "I finally found a way to keep him from causing trouble! Did I not, brother?"

"I will have my revenge." Loki muttered, and took the apple slice Thor handed him, accepting that sitting up and eating off a plate was too much effort. He yawned. "Later. Brute."

\-----------

Deeming Loki suitably neutralized, Thor went off with his damn captain and the man's consort again. Loki was too tired to plan his revenge just then, and sprawled on a couch in a common area. He took the notebook he'd claimed from Banner, now filled with diagrams that were not working.

Of course, Stark could not leave him alone for long.

"You know, here on Earth it's considered rude to steal cars in the middle of dinner."

"I'm working. Do you not want to prevent another wraith attack?"

"Alright, alright!" He sounded as if Loki were being unreasonable. "I shouldn't have gone straight to sex machines. You destroyed my car. Call it even?"

"You're more concerned by the car than being thrown to your death."

"It was a really nice car." Stark approached, and waved a pair of magazines. "As promised."

Loki caught them, and looked at the covers. "Oh, I'm controversial, what an entirely unfamiliar state of affairs." They were acceptable pictures, for having not properly posed for them.

"Hey, but now you're at least as controversial for being trans as for being a mass murderer."

This was such a strange world. "If I understood your soldier's lecture on terminology, I am genderfluid, not trans."

"Whatever. Most people aren't going to make a distinction. Putting out that mind control story was a good move."

Loki flipped through one of the magazines. There were pictures from the club as well. "I was somewhat mind controlled." And a lot tortured. And a monster, abandoned by his family and hated and discarded by his kidnappers. Even now, he found it infuriating that Odin had dared turn against him for his crimes, when he had done no more than what Odin had, what had built Asgard.

He took a slow breath. He had Thor now. And Thor had Asgard. Odin was dead. So he won.

"Seriously, though." Stark sat on the armrest of the couch right next to Loki's head. "I'm dying. What is up with turning into a woman?"

The man was endlessly tiresome. His position was a power move. He expected Loki to move to maintain distance, and in making him do so, he would display dominance. Then he would sit in the space Loki abandoned, so that they would be sitting together. As if Loki were some kind of novice. He did not move. "Die, then. I have no intention of explaining it to you."

"Just trying to get to know you. What else can I talk about? The time you tried to kill us all? The really embarrassing yelling you were doing last night?"

In a burst of irritation, he turned into a serpent and coiled in the center of the couch.

"Now, that's just neat." Stark slid down onto the cushion beside him. "Seriously, though. I could give you a real tour of the lab. No sex machines, promise."

Loki slithered onto the fool's lap, and rose slowly, hood stretching. He hissed, revealing long fangs dripping venom.

"Uh. Hey now." Stark held up his hands placatingly. He didn't even have one of his little hand blasters. And his armor could not fly to him faster than Loki could strike. Loki saw this realization turn to fear.

He turned back into himself, and laughed meanly at him.

Stark recovered remarkably quickly. He rolled his hips under Loki. "See, this isn't making me want to get to know you any less."

Turning into a woman drew days of comment, but turning into a snake was forgotten immediately. A very strange world. He put a knife to the man's throat. "You do not want such familiarity."

"Hey, look, I get it! Thor wore you out! He's got stamina! No hurry!"

Loki sighed and relaxed, truly too tired to want to keep himself on the edge of murder. He pushed the man back into the couch and idly moved the knife tip over his skin, debating marks to leave there. At least he was less frustrating than the damn spell. "Does this usually work? Irritating people into your bed?"

"Well, usually the massive wealth and heroic status do it."

"Certainly not your charm." He forced the man's chin back, deciding on a pattern. He would label him in Asgardian, a warning to any of their people who might come to this world. They had words to describe men who did not gracefully accept a refusal. Boys sometimes made such a mistake in their eager adolescence. They were firmly corrected. It was not remotely tolerated among adults. No Asgardian would ever entertain his advances. "Do not move." If he did this carefully, and kept his magic perfectly synchronized, he wouldn't draw a drop of blood.

"Lots of people think I'm charming, and whatareyoudoing?"

"Don't worry. The mark will be barely detectable to other Midgardians. Less than a shaving nick. Did you touch my brother?" He slid the tiniest tip of the knife in.

"Hey!" He jerked away, and Loki let him. "Nuh uh! Bad! No cutting!" He swiped at his neck, and found no blood.

"Did you?"

"Did I... Thor? No! No, definitely not!"

Loki watched him coolly.

"We watched porn together once, that's all. He wasn't particularly impressed, actually. Seems a little straight-laced." He smirked. "Though, judging by the sounds you made last night, he's got skills." He put his hands boldly on Loki's legs, thumbs very much on his inner thighs. "But you don't strike me as the straight-laced type. You got an itch he isn't scratching, Loki?"

"You aren't seriously implying that you could dominate me better than Thor does? I assure you, mortal, if I took you up on your flirtations we would have an entirely different arrangement." This little iron man could do nothing for him. "You're boring me." He started to get up.

"Hey now!" Stark put a hand to the small of his back, to keep him, and his other hand reached and groped Loki between his legs.

Loki grabbed the hand, and with a snarl wrenched it back, until bone snapped. He muffled the foul creature with magic, preventing him from calling for aid from his suits or Banner.

"How DARE you?" He tossed the filthy creature against the far wall, then stalked to him and prevented him from rising with a boot on his throat. He looked down at him coldly, watching him struggle.

Keeping him there, he summoned the creature's own phone from his pocket and called Thor. He put it on speaker, so the filthy pig could hear every word.

"Yes?"

"It's me."

"Loki? What's wrong?"

He made his voice calm, and a little sweet. "Do not be too angry with me, brother. I have done something that may upset you."

"What did you do?"

He met the filthy creature's eyes. "I have killed Stark."

"What?" Thor sounded furious.

"He touched me without permission."

Thor was quiet a long moment. "Brother, this is not our world." His tone was so pleasing to Loki. Concern for him, an immediate siding with him, acceptance of his act, immediately turning to how to deal with this together. "I will be there soon. We will return you to Asgard. It will not be safe for you here."

"Your judgement is the only that concerns me. Do you forgive me, brother?"

"If it is as you said, you've done nothing wrong. I will be there soon."

"Careful. Banner is downstairs."

The phone lost connection, and Loki dropped it. Lightning was quick, he did not have much time. The foul little creature looked panicked. As he should. He had just heard how freely Loki could kill him.

Loki twisted one hand, and the filth strained in a silent scream, as an illusion of being gutted took hold of his mind.

He twisted the illusion, deeper and deeper, until Thor pulled him away. "Loki!"

He struggled against him for a moment, intent on his rage, wanting the creature's screams even as he silenced them. Thor held him, and put a soothing hand to his back. Loki hissed, but dropped his hold on the filthy thing.

It panted harshly, as the soldier helped it sit up. "'Nothing wrong'? Thanks a fucking lot!"

Thor let Loki go, and towered over it. "Did you touch him?"

"I barely laid a hand on him! He was sitting in my lap!"

Loki snarled. How dare it try to defend itself! It was lucky he allowed it to live!

"Did you touch him without permission?" Thor yelled.

"Permission is kind of implied when you're in someone's lap!" It stood, holding its broken hand to its chest.

Thor snarled, and Loki warmed to see his brother so angry in his defense. "Clearly, you read the implications wrongly!"

"He broke my hand, and what the fuck was that, you little shit?" He tried to go around Thor to come at Loki, but Thor shoved him back. "He's been playing hard to get since he got here! Fucker was getting off on leading me on, and didn't like me not playing by his rules!"

Thor looked at it in disgust, seeing the thing for what it was. "Are you mad? If you tired of being refused, cease pursuing him! It does not give you a right to ignore his refusals!"

"It does if he-"

Thor cut it off. "You are fortunate he did not truly kill you. I am not going to discuss which circumstances allow you to ignore my brother's refusal, for there are none." Thor turned away from it, and back to Loki.

It snarled. "Hey! You can't just make me out to be the bad guy here-"

Steve stepped in front of it, looking at it in distaste. "You should get to a hospital, Tony. Your hand"

He was fortunate Loki hadn't burned it off.

"I'm not-"

"Go to the hospital, Stark." Steve said, firmly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stark fans: Don't let this scare you off; it's all uphill from here for Tony.
> 
> \----------
> 
> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	4. Chapter 4

After that, Thor stayed closer to Loki's side.

They were both growing tired of this world. Thor was homesick, and missing his companions. He liked the Avengers, especially Steve, but he missed his warriors. Steve would fit in well with them, as would his companion, Bucky. Perhaps he could take them to Asgard, for a time....

He'd thought Loki merely bored, until he'd noticed him wearing a wrist guard that had been Valkyrie's. He'd pursued the topic, and Loki had admitted that they often trained together late, when the floor was empty, and sometimes walked the woods together. A few drinks from home later, and he dragged from Loki that he even missed Fen.

Thor pulled Loki out onto a porch, where they could enjoy the sun and not be too loud, and where they wouldn't accidentally break any of the fragile Midgardian things, or people. Loki had stolen his everfull flask, cautioning him that they were not feasting on Asgard, and boredom was no cause to celebrate. Ha, he just didn't want Thor to pull any more secrets from him!

But perhaps he had been drinking too fast. He lay back to watch the clouds and enjoy the peace, with one leg propped up for Loki to sit against. Loki leaned against it, and produced his notebook. The time passed quietly, comfortably, with Loki sometimes offering him or the air an idea, and Thor idly stroking his brother's hip.

His blind side was to the door, but as usual when they were at ease, Loki took that side to cover his lack. So when he heard the door open, he didn't know who was joining them until Loki made a sound of disbelief.

"Truly?"

"Hear me out!" Stark said.

Thor scowled, but kept it to the sky, only tightening his hand on Loki's hip in quiet reassurance. Loki could certainly send the persistent creature away on his own.

"I am SORRY I groped you! For what it's worth, I genuinely thought you wanted me to make a move. I thought we were.... Maybe I had the wrong idea. And, you broke my hand, so...." He sighed. "I want to get to know you. Last effort, okay? Tell me to fuck off, and I'm fucking off."

Loki was quiet, cold. "Very well. I accept your apology."

He went the kind of quiet that Thor recognized all too well. "Brother."

Loki sighed. "You should not drink from the third bottle from the left on your liquor shelf, it is poisoned."

Thor pinched him.

"As is the fifth! Thor!" He was almost whining at his trick being forced out. "They weren't deadly! Probably."

"Fuck, you don't mess around." Stark said.

"I always mess around."

"Yeah, see-" Stark started to pace, and Thor could practically hear his spazy hand gestures. "That's the thing! You do! And you've never once actually just told me to leave you alone, or that I haven't got a chance, or murdered me!"

"I threw you off a building. And broke your hand."

"Yeah, and I've seen the shit you put Thor through! So, my theory is... you want someone who will be able to put up with your shit, and still be interested. You don't want to have to hold back, or worry about scaring them off after opening up! That's why you haven't just told me to fuck off!"

At that Thor couldn't hold his tongue. He got up on one elbow to face Stark, other arm wrapping protectively around Loki. "I'll tell you then! Fuck off!"

"Loki?"

"That's quite the elaborate theory." Loki put a calming hand on Thor's thigh. "If you touch me again, I'm taking your hand completely off. Or worse."

"Okay!"

Thor sighed and slumped onto his side, curling loosely around his strange brother. "Why can't you find your other lovers among our people, Loki?"

"Hush." He patted Thor fondly.

"So, you do have an open relationship!" Stark sat eagerly on the ground across from them, moving a bit awkwardly with his hand in a cast.

Loki hesitated before answering, tone neutral. "It is normal on Asgard to have many lovers." Oh, he wasn't going to mention how rarely he indulged in the practice?

"Tell me about Asgard. How are you rebuilding?"

The two talked, and Thor found himself relaxing, and even smiling. It was good for his brother to interact with people like this, even if they weren't the people Thor would wish. He entertained himself counting Loki's lies, and playing idly with the edge of his shirt. Loki shifted, leaning against Thor's hips and stomach like he was a couch. Something petty in Thor absolutely loved displaying their physical familiarity in front of Stark.

He was happy for his brother to be taking other lovers, but he was even happier to remain foremost in Loki's affection.

"You know, Thor, you don't have to stay." Stark tried, after a while. "We hardly need a chaperone; Loki's perfectly capable of killing me himself."

"My brother and I were out here enjoying the peace, when you showed up. You are the surplus."

"Oh, yes." Loki twisted Thor's flask back into this dimension, took a swallow, and passed it back to Thor. But then he put an arm casually over Thor's legs, in case Thor should get any ideas about leaving.

Thor took a swallow too, very content to stay put.

"What, I don't get some?"

Loki smirked. "I wouldn't need to throw you over the edge; you'd toddle over there and tip yourself off. Actually, that would be entertaining."

Thor fended off Loki's reaching hand. "Loki, be nice."

Loki sighed. "Probably wouldn't be able to walk anyway."

Stark laughed. "Now you're just making me want to try it!"

"Besides, we brought a very limited supply from Asgard; we didn't bring enough to share."

"It's my everfull flask, Loki!" Thor corrected. And then caught himself.

Loki sucked in a triumphant breath.

"Oh! No, that doesn't count!"

"I win!" Loki slapped Thor's ass in triumph. "What did you get up to?"

Thor groaned, admitting defeat. "Thirty-seven!"

"You missed five!" Loki stole the flask back, and took a smug sip.

Thor sat up and captured Loki. "I did not! That makes thirty-eight."

Loki chuckled and let his neck be kissed, giddy with drink. "That doesn't count, it was to you! And you did miss three!"

Stark was laughing quietly at their antics. "What's this game?"

Loki just laughed more, so Thor explained. "Loki, as you may have noticed, is a compulsive, filthy, unrepentant liar. And he has informed me that I am completely incapable of not correcting him around others."

"Completely, utterly incapable of simply letting me have my own conversations!" Loki sighed dramatically.

"So now I don't-"

"You do."

"I don't correct him. But I keep count of every lie he tells. I usually win!"

Stark chuckled. "Sounds like he's tricked you into not interfering with his lying."

"No, he-" Oh. Fuck. He thought back, trying to remember how they'd started the game.

Loki threw a pebble at Stark. "You bastard! I've kept that up for three hundred years!"

Thor groaned, while Stark laughed.

"You're both terrible!" He pointed a finger at Thor sternly. "And I still won! I intend to collect."

"Yes, Loki." he said in mock obedience. In truth, the prize for their game with simply a thorough, leisurely, and full massage. But Loki wasn't the only one capable of dissimulation, and Thor wanted Stark to assume the prize was some sexual favor. It usually led there anyway.

"Wait, so you lied to me forty times just during this conversation?" Stark sounded indignant.

"Approximately."

"He even lies about how much he lies. You'll never get a real answer from him!" Thor took his flask back again, and made use of it.

"Well, that's entirely unfair! I'm trying to learn about Asgardian culture here!"

Loki snorted. And started casually caressing Thor's inner thigh. "You're trying to learn just enough about Asgardian culture to seduce me."

"Maybe."

As the two talked on, Thor became increasingly distracted by Loki's hand, working slowly toward his cock, until he had him firmly cupped. He sighed with regret, but pulled his hand away. "Brother, that is considered impolite on Midgard."

"Not if you find the right circles, it isn't." Loki said mischievously. When had he gotten Thor's flask back? "You don't mind watching, do you Stark?"

"Oh, don't mind me!"

"Mind me, then." Thor hefted them both to their feet. "Weren't you the one cautioning me about my drink?"

"I'm not drunk, I'm frustrated!" But he let Thor keep an arm around him.

Stark also got up. "I could help with that." He smirked.

"Oh yes, Thor, let's invite the mortal. I bet he knows something about tying people up that you don't."

"This far into your drink you'd break him, Loki." Thor chided gently. Also, the idea of sharing a threesome with Stark held no appeal whatsoever.

"He doesn't seem to mind." He gave Stark a dangerous grin. "Hmm, mortal? Try your luck with two drunk gods? You'll probably recover eventually."

"I... think I'll wait until you're sober."

"Mmm, it is a genius."

\--------------

At last, a wraith attack!

In fact, several! A swarm of them had appeared in a small town.

The Avengers had fast jets, and within twenty minutes they were jumping out of the sky into the chaos.

Thor had never seen a wraith. He hoped they provided a bit of a challenge! They were tall, over twice his height, with spindly limbs. They did not move too quickly, but relentlessly pursued the Midgardians who had been unable to flee.

Two were prying at the door of a shop, where people had taken refuge. While the other Avengers scattered about to seek other enemies, Thor blasted one of the pair with a bolt of lightning, and jumped up to tackle the other.

It turned out to be surprisingly steady, and did not fall, but staggered under his weight. He jerked at its head, and steered its stumblings away from the building, and closer to his brother.

"Well?"

"Yes, certainly a wraith." Loki took some kind of smug pleasure in not engaging in combat while Thor did, Thor was certain. He had his hands folded behind his back, and watched the wraith with academic interest. Thor shouted as one of its creepy clawed hands pried at his leg.

"Excellent; so glad we got that settled! Can I kill it now?"

"No, I need it." He strode out to the middle of the street. "Out here."

Thor growled, and reminded himself that he was king of Asgard. "I can't actually steer this thing!" And its hands were unnerving him. What needed fingers that long?

"Clearly." Loki simply looked at him impatiently.

With a curse, Thor dropped off the wraith's back and gave it a kick toward Loki. He circled around it, sword drawn, keeping it herded in where Loki needed it. "Here?"

"Ye-" Loki sighed in annoyance when he was forced to step back to avoid the lumbering thing. "Do try to keep it still." He produced his notebook and flipped a few pages. He glanced up at something behind Thor, and looked mildly annoyed. "I'm going to need you to keep this one where it is, brother."

Thor spun just in time to see the first wraith, apparently not killed by lightning, just before it smacked him across the street.

He rolled and jumped to slash at the legs of the second wraith, driving it back to Loki, and barely dodged the first wraith's next blow.

He kept going between the two, herding one and fighting the other. The thing kept disintegrating out of the way of serious blows, the coward! Loki finally seemed to settle on a plan, and light flared over the ground, traveling out to the edge of the street.

"Good, that will draw them all here."

"It- Loki! They don't die!"

"Yes yes, I'm working on that." He flipped a page, and didn't flinch as one of the wraiths lunged for him. Thor knocked it down with only inches to spare.

"Maybe you could have worked that out before bringing them all here?" he shouted.

"Now Thor, what kind of brother would I be if I denied you a fight like that?" He extended a hand, starting another spell.

Thor increased his efforts to kill the one he was already fighting, as he saw wraiths who had been engaged with other Avengers turn toward them. "Do you still need this one?"

"Yes. Do try to keep it in place."

There were good odds he didn't even need it, and just wanted to make Thor's life difficult.

But soon, Thor was having fun! He hadn't had a good fight in years! Not really. He simply won too quickly. The wraiths were not skilled fighters, but their lumbering size was interesting, and they refused to die, and they just kept coming, and soon Thor was surrounded! He couldn't get too carried away, since there were still mortals in the nearby buildings, and his companions fighting all around him, but it was great fun nevertheless!

"Get them into the circle!" Loki yelled eventually.

Thor lunged forward at one of them, and knocked it back across Loki's shining barrier. The thing only growled softly as it dissolved.

The others saw, or perhaps heard Loki's shout, and soon dozens of wraiths were dissolving. It was far more than they had started with, Thor was certain.

The last one was knocked over the edge by Captain America's shield, and everyone cheered, rather tiredly. Oh yes, mortals were easily exhausted. Well, a feast would restore them!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	5. Chapter 5

Loki regarded his brother with mild embarrassment.

The mortals had ordered pizza, and alcohol had appeared when they got back to their tower. It seemed feasting after a victory was one tradition they did maintain. Of course, Thor was... well, better at it.

Loki leaned on the counter next to Stark. "If you're trying to see how long he'll carry on, I'd give up. He stops when he's drunk, or when a partner takes him to bed, or when there is no one else to celebrate with. Your alcohol will not touch him, I've no intention of interrupting, and I've seen you conspiring with your companions to entertain him."

"We might, possibly, have a betting pool. It is physically impossible for him to keep eating and drinking like that."

"He will, though."

"Money where your mouth is."

Loki had to stop himself from laughing, as that would attract Thor's notice. "You have nothing I want." He watched Thor fondly. He must be so homesick.

"There must be something. Have I mentioned I'm extremely rich?"

Loki eyed him with amusement. "Fine. My bet: Unless interrupted or abandoned, Thor will continue eating and drinking until dawn. When I win, you will pine over me for a minimum of two months after I leave. Publicly and dramatically. Statues would not be amiss."

Stark looked surprised, but grinned. "Pining, huh?"

"Extremely publicly. You've already taken me out; everyone believes we are lovers. Your broken hand has been connected to me as well. I will not have people believing I took a mortal lover and made little impression."

"For two months?" He looked like he was considering it.

"You are allowed to stop making a fool of yourself after two months. You are not allowed to denounce it all as payment of a bet."

"And what if you lose?" His eyes moved over Loki's body.

Loki smirked. "Oh, I will give you something to pine about."

\--------

"Brother, you have lost track of the time. Look, the sun is rising." Loki smirked at Stark, who shook his head in disbelief. "Your companions surely need rest."

Thor looked a bit surprised, and grinned. "A fine battle deserves a fine feast."

The mortals had kept up with him gamely, all invested in their bets and enjoying trading stories. Thor always did that; added energy to any group, making any gathering endlessly pleasant. Even that clever woman, Natasha, had stayed. Loki had been discretely getting rid of the pizza boxes, so Thor would not notice them piling up.

As everyone grumbled happily about their exhaustion, and went their ways, Loki found an excuse to pass Stark, and murmured "Statue." smugly.

\----------

Loki frowned at the holographic globe, and made another adjustment.

Stark came into the lab and groaned. "Uh, Bruce? You know you have Loki scowling at our planet like he wants to rearrange its shape?"

Both Thor and Banner looked up at Stark. Loki ignored him, detesting being spoken about in that manner, as if he couldn't speak for himself.

"Yeah, he's...." Banner waved a vague hand. Amazing that this uncertain creature turned into that beast. "His spell only has about a thousand mile radius, so...."

"I'll have to do dozens of them." Loki sighed. "But it should only take a few days, with one of your jets."

"How does it work?"

"The first spell draws Odin's residual energy into a single point." Most of that energy then solidified into a crystal, but no one else need know that. Plenty was left for bait. "This draws wraith in. The second spell will disintegrate the wraiths when they get close enough. The difficulty was in making the process inefficient enough to not attract weaker wraith."

"What, killing them would be unsportsmanlike conduct?"

Loki adjusted another point on the globe. "You want wraith. There's a kind of ecologic system."

"You just don't want them to be strong enough to manifest and do battle!" Thor expanded. Then he smiled. "My brother does not mention that he is being very brave, casting these spells. Many of the wraith will be drawn immediately. We will have to fight our way out each time!"

"Yes, we'll need isolated areas to cast each spell. Not only will there be the initial outbreak, but strong wraith will continue to be attracted in smaller numbers for some time. You will need to find someone who can learn this spell and replace it as needed, in case there are more wraiths than my estimate." Where they got the replacement death energy for bait was certainly their own affair.

\-----------

Loki accompanied Stark to a fundraiser - unchecked capitalism was such a strange system - while Thor's companions fine tuned the spell placement. He wanted more public appearances, and of course Stark's pining would be more believable for it.

He wove stories throughout. He didn't defend his actions against Midgard, but he charmed many, and flirted freely, and planted small ideas that would bring them to defend his reputation for him. He was a trickster, and the God of Mischief. He was happy to be mistrusted, but far less so to be seen as an unmitigated villain.

He had Stark bring him a drink, and called him by his first name, and put his hand suggestively low on his hip. Stark was well-behaved throughout.

So when they returned to his tower, Loki smoothly turned on him and backed him up against a wall.

"Uh.... Okay, on the one hand, yes please, on the other hand, I'd really like to keep my other hand."

Loki made a noise of disinterest, looking Stark up and down, not quite touching.

"To be completely clear: Am I allowed to touch you?"

"No." Loki took a controlling hold of the side of Stark's face and jerked his head back, tilting it as if to kiss him. He didn't.

"I mean, I can make a new hand."

"I may take other things." He released a flow of magic into Stark, and the man gasped at the pleasure filling him.

"Oh god!"

Loki grinned. "Now you're getting the idea." He leaned forward slowly, put his lips almost against Stark's ear. "Kneel."

Stark snorted. "Don't think so."

Loki laughed at him. Midgardians just had no idea how to behave. "You'll tolerate being thrown off a building, a destroyed vehicle, and a broken hand, but kneeling before a god is too much."

"Sounds about right."

"Your loss, I assure you. I was making a very generous offer." To worship a god created a bond, a compact. Sometimes it was a very weak one, but there nonetheless.

Stark laughed. "Oh yeah? I can be generous. You kneel to me."

Loki grinned. He was suddenly certain he did want to possess this little mortal. He pulled him away from the wall abruptly, and steered him toward the elevator. "To your room."

Stark leaned smugly against the side of the elevator, watching him as they rose.

"If you touch me in a way I don't wish, I will still take something off."

"That's a bit arbitrary. I'm good, but I can't know exactly what you want."

"Were you under the impression any of this was a safe course of action?"

Stark's bedroom was its own floor, so at least they needn't parade past the others. As soon as they exited the elevator, Loki grabbed Stark by the neck and threw him onto the bed.

Loki could almost purr at the startled noise he made. Oh, it had been too long since he'd played with a mortal like this. He relaxed into himself in a way he so rarely did, and felt his helm form on him. The complexities of life slipped away, for this ancient thing. He was a god, and he had a mortal to play with.

"Oh shit." Stark breathed.

"Try again."

Stark took a moment to get that. "Oh my god."

"There you go." Loki prowled slowly toward him.

"You know princess, I'm not exactly the submissive type."

"You have been actively courting a god. How did you think this would go?"

Stark smirked. "Oh, I would definitely worship you."

Loki smiled, and vanished Stark's clothes away. "Your opportunity for worship has passed, Stark." He grinned, letting the predatory nature of godhood show. "Now you are sacrifice."

He pounced, and the mortal put up an entertaining fight, trying to gain control. Then groaned at Loki's hand working over his cock, and the little flares of magic brushing into him.

"Oh FUCK, Loki!"

"So impatient. No. I will have your offering, I will have you spill you essence while chanting my name. I will have this. Then I will have you beg and plead to be mine, before I claim you."

Oh and he did. He let his power and nature run loose over the mortal, body and mind. He reduced the clever man to a mindless, wanton thing, indistinguishable from any other mortal he'd indulged in. He enjoyed Stark for many hours, luxuriated in him.

It was pleasant, to let go so. And satisfying to see that one of the finest Midgard had to offer was no different, to him. Just another meaningless toy.

He gave the drained creature an affectionate pat, for a job well done, and started to rise from the bed.

"Hey, wait!" Stark grabbed his arm.

Loki let him pull him back, surprised.

He should have been a mindless mess. Loki had wrung things much more vital than seed from the man. Had soaked himself in the urgencies and heats of this mortal's spirit, had bitten and tasted his energies. He should have been little more than a thrall, needing a day or more to recover enough will to direct himself so boldly.

"You're leaving?"

Loki recovered enough from his shock to force a careless smile. "I am not spending the night cuddling you." Besides, Thor hated sleeping alone. He would sulk.

"You could stay a little longer."

He laughed softly. "I don't think you have another round in you." Even if he wasn't reacting as expected, he was certainly exhausted.

"Oh, fuck no. I admit it, you wore me out!" He sounded amused. "But, hey." His unbroken hand slid up to Loki's face. "This was good, it was... really, really good. But I still want to get to know you. Like... as a person. Maybe without the helm?"

What?

Loki stared at him, completely disarmed, suddenly realizing that he had desperately underestimated the danger presented by this man.

"You.... Excuse me?"

Stark sighed. "Look, if you just want to fuck and leave, I... will totally enjoy that too. That was amazing. Can we do it again some time?"

Loki stared some more, still trying to process this mortal.

"Right. That's not the point. The point is, that's not... what I was hoping for."

Loki sucked in a breath. "Are you... criticizing my skill?" What had he done wrong? Something, obviously! "You... should be incapable of speech right now! I have done this many, many times before, I know how to fuck mortals! That was.... That was excellent sex! Does your implant inure you to pleasure?!"

"No no no!" He waved a hand in lofty reassurance, the smug, grinning bastard! "It was great sex! Definitely the best I've had! From, you know, a technical perspective."

"A technical perspective!?" Oh, they were going again. He would ravish this man into a coma!

"Yeah, it was great! But, you know, making love has an emotional component. Intimacy, and all that. You're definitely lacking in that area, and it shows in your overall performance. But look, I get it, you can't be good at everything!"

Loki held himself back from killing the annoying man. Or fucking him again, which would be much the same thing, at this point. "You play a very dangerous game, Stark."

"Well, I like those."

"You wish to... get to know me."

"Yes!"

Controlling himself carefully, barely able to take his eyes off Stark, he slowly settled back onto the bed. And, with a shuddering breath, with a choice to be vulnerable, he let him helm fade away.

"Alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	6. Chapter 6

It was dangerous, to let himself get attached to something as fragile and short-lived as Tony Stark. He knew that.

But Tony had seen right through him, had seen the distance between them when Loki was only a god, and had not been satisfied. Loki had ravaged his body, mind, and soul, and Tony had not been satisfied, and had demanded true intimacy.

Loki was well aware of his weaknesses in that regard. He loved nothing more than to be seen and adored. And Tony Stark insisted on seeing him.

They had spent an hour talking the night before, and Loki had not lied too much. They had spoken of family. Stark had had a father with more power and judgments than affection. Loki could relate. Stark told him of coming to understand the incredible damage his creations did, and choosing to change his path. Loki admitted to his constant thirst for trouble, and how he wasn't at all sure he could keep controlling himself.

Stark had almost passed out, and Loki had tucked him nervously into bed, suddenly reevaluating whether or not he might have been too rough on the man. He had told Stark they could talk again. Perhaps.

Thor had only teased him a bit for staying so late with the mortal, and asked if he'd left him alive. It was a relief to be taken into Thor's embrace, to be held and touched and drawn to bed by him. He knew Thor so well. His certainty with Thor was a balm to the doubt he felt about Stark.

"Brother, are you well?" Thor murmured, when it became clear Loki wasn't responding to his more intimate touches.

"Yes. I forgot how... addictive mortals can be." That wasn't the word. Intriguing? Drawing? Intense?

Thor made a soft noise, knowing exactly what he meant, though he would think of it in different terms. Thor had always been more willing to open himself up to such things. He'd had many attachments to mortals, each intense and consuming, so that it seemed like the first and only each time.

Loki had only really attached to a mortal once, centuries ago. He'd come to Midgard as a woman, and met a woman who painted like mathematics and ran like ice and gardened like it was a battle. He still couldn't bear to even think her name. He'd thought he'd learned his lesson. Now this horrible Stark man had the nerve to see him?

"You know, this is not our world, we certainly can't be trusted to fly jets and set spells all over by ourselves." Thor ran a loving hand through his hair. "Perhaps Tony should come with us?"

And that was the difference between them. Thor remembered the pleasure of attachment. Loki remembered the grief of loss. Even if he never spoke to Stark again, every thought of him now would be tainted by dread of his death.

Well. If he was going to get the bad part, he may as well take the good.

"Yes, I suppose he may be of some assistance."

\--------------

Of course, the jet was pretty much flown by an AI, so Stark was free to stay near Loki between castings.

It had been a long, repetitive day. Loki would cast the spells, at some suitably isolated location. They would fight their way back to the jet, while wraith flung themselves into the disintegrating circle. They would fly to the next location, and begin again.

They were crossing an ocean now, so they had a little more time to rest. Thor was up in the cockpit, pretending to sleep, to give them a little privacy.

The fucking enabler.

So now Loki was leaning shoulder to shoulder with the awful little mortal, utterly tense with the thought of how easily he could be killed, trying to explain about death energy and wraith. He drew a diagram in the air.

"Wait, what's that symbol mean?"

"It indicates concentration of energies."

"What, just any energies?"

"Theoretically, I suppose, but for any practical purpose it is only applied to energies that... well, concentrate."

"Hmm." Tony lowered his voice. "And would that include those little crystals you've been picking up?"

Oh, the observant little fuck. "Crystals? Oh no, those are simply a natural byproduct of the spell."

"Sure. And you carefully pick them up when Thor's not looking because you don't want him to know about your rigorous anti-littering stance."

Loki captured Tony's hand - his unbroken hand, but Loki still wasn't so taken with the mortal as to regret breaking the other - and ran his fingers lightly between Tony's. "I've been thinking about what you said about wanting to know me, ah... without the helm. Would you like to kiss me, Tony?"

Ha, that shut him up for a minute.

"Okay, it's not that I can't tell you're just changing the subject, but yeah, yes, I would like that very much."

"I will allow it."

Tony sat up , and leaned carefully into Loki's space. He cupped Loki's face. He looked determined. Focused. Like he wanted to prove all in this one chance that he was worth Loki's time.

Loki smirked. "No need for such worry, Tony, this is not your final test."

He leaned forward and... mmm, yes, he was quite good at kissing. Devoted and tender, but not overly gentle, or too cautious to direct matters himself. Bold enough to take the invitation of Loki's lifted chin, and kiss down his throat.

When he pulled a ragged moan from Loki, Loki rewarded him by grabbing his hips and pulling him into his lap. Tony groaned, and pushed his hips eagerly against Loki. "You're really strong. That's so cool."

Loki gasped, and grabbed a tight handful of his hair and pulled his head up to bite his ear. "On your knees." He'd meant it as a command, but it sounded almost like a plea. He wanted, almost needed, Tony to love him so.

"Yeah." Tony said, almost breathless, and a moment later was on the ground before Loki, sliding between his thighs.

Loki let out a slow breath of relief, back on familiar ground. He purred, and stroked his little supplicant's head, as the man opened Loki's pants. Should he let his helm form, and let the mortal know his place, or let him persist in the entertaining illusion that they were connecting in some more human way?

The little mortal pulled Loki's hard cock out, but then only stroked it gently, and looked up at Loki.

"Hey. Hey, Lok. Come back to me."

Loki looked at him in surprise, completely unbalanced by this. "What?"

"I'm not some interchangeable worshipper. It's me, okay? Are you with me?"

Loki whimpered, and recognized this as the moment he became helplessly lost to Tony Stark.

He took one last breath, resisting falling. But oh, he could never resist a reckless fall.

"Yes." he whispered.

Tony bent his head to Loki's cock, and Loki couldn't hold back his soft noises of pleasure, couldn't take his eyes off the man, knew he needed to possess and be possessed, needed to know everything in this being's mind, and every part of his soul. He cursed and grabbed Stark's hair, and took control, pumping slowly but firmly into Tony's throat.

Tony only made a hungry noise, and worked his tongue and throat eagerly around Loki's cock.

"Mine." Loki breathed. Tony moaned what could only be agreement, and Loki came, spilling presumptuous and deep in Tony's mouth. "Mine!" he growled, still soft but emphatic, as Tony swallowed every drop, and seemed to beg for more.

Oh, and damn him. Damn him for drawing such attachment from Loki, damn him for making Loki feel this way!

Loki let him pull away and catch his breath for only moments. He looked so damn smug. Then when it seemed Tony was going to say something, Loki drove him down onto the floor, and claimed his mouth, with sudden violence.

"I hope you know what you've gotten into, Anthony Stark." he hissed. "There is no going back now. You are mine!"

"Oh, fuck!"

"Mine! Brother, witness!" he snarled over his shoulder, feeling absolutely feral.

Thor was up in the copilot seat, feet on the dash. He waved a casual hand over the side of the chair. "Witnessed."

Loki kissed Stark fiercely, and hissed "Say you are mine!"

"Fuck yeah I'm yours!" he panted.

"Witnessed." Thor repeated.

Loki kissed Tony again, harsh and claiming, and tore his pants open to expose his cock. He worked it to full hardness, then slid down Tony's body to swallow it whole.

"Fuck!" Tony pushed into his mouth, back arching, and had no shame in grabbing Loki's hair. Loki purred at that, and rewarded him by dragging things out, making Tony frantic. "Oh my god! Oh fuck, oh hell, oh god!"

Could he really blame Loki for wishing to be worshipped, when he kept teasing him like that? He knew it was a common exclamation on Midgard, but that made it sound no less like filthy temptation when it dripped from Tony's mouth.

"Oh fuck, your mouth! God, I am going to do things you don't even have words for to you, I am going to invent whole new things, I am going to- fuck, god!"

Loki slowly slid off his delicious cock. "Perhaps. If you're good."

Tony's eyes were wild, as Loki released a little stream of magic from his tongue, slowly winding up Tony's cock. "Oh god! Oh my god!"

Loki chuckled. "You can do better than that." He slowly, slowly worked back down Tony's cock.

"You, fuck, you broke me, you know that? Last night? You ruined me, forever! Fuck, god, Loki!"

"Mmm, do continue." He swallowed his cock deep again, and worked his thumb over his balls.

"Oh fuck, Loki!" He tugged harder on Loki's hair, as if it wasn't futile. Loki rather liked the feel. He liked it well enough to rub his tongue firmly against the vein under Tony's cock, and let him reach climax. He purred and greedily took every drop Tony spilled, enjoying the sound of his wrecked breathing.

They could work on proper praise during sex; definitely something Tony would need to improve upon.

"Fuck fuck damn fuck...." Tony chanted quietly, catching his breath. Loki kissed him, feeling rather smug himself.

All in all, he thought it was a pretty successful distraction from the crystals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	7. Chapter 7

They had stopped for the night in one of Tony's many homes, this one on some little island. Somehow a hot meal was waiting for them, in the luxurious home.

Well, if he was going to get attached to a mortal, power and wealth were nice benefits.

They'd settled to eat in the living room, all preferring to sprawl on soft furniture. Loki, exhausted from doing so much magic, had leaned against Thor, and fallen half asleep against his chest. Thor was petting his hair, and she felt so wonderful and comfortable and cared for, so nice to have Thor soothing her, instead of off celebrating victory....

"Oh! Fuck, he.... Just like that, huh?"

Thor rumbled vaguely. "Yes, it often happens in her sleep." His hand came to rest on her shoulder.

Loki was too relaxed to even acknowledge being discussed so. She just wanted more petting. She took Thor's hand and put it back on her hair, which earned a laugh, but also more delicious stroking.

"She likes to be spoiled and cared for." Thor said, softly. "I heard what you discussed in the plane, about intimacy. She does not open easily. She will resist letting you in. She will destroy your mind and make you a thrall, if you do not win her trust. She will grieve and long for your intact self, but that will not stop her."

"I'll make him a very happy thrall; mind your own business." she muttered, yawning.

"I would be remiss not to warn him of your perils." Thor saw it as his endless duty to mind Loki. Loki sighed. She kept most of her social life offworld for precisely this reason.

"I like peril. Big fan. In fact," Tony stood up, "I'm now going to commit the fairly perilous act of stealing Loki right off your lap."

Loki grumbled as her arm was lifted and slung around Tony, then the irritating man was making her get up.

"Come on, sleepyhead, off to bed."

Loki cast an alarmed glance to Thor, but he looked amused, and waved her on. Well, a night alone would hardly kill him....

She let Tony pull her to the bedroom, and even let him sprawl her across the bed and crawl over her.

"Mmm. I am rather tired. I suppose I could let you direct things, tonight."

"Oh you could, huh?" His hand started slowly, slowly opening her shirt. "I'm going to make an entire line of Loki-strength bondage gear. Just so you know."

That did sound fun. "Make it in my colors." she sighed, running her hands along the edge of his shirt. Lifting her arms to remove it sounded like a lot of effort. She vanished it away.

Tony laughed. "Neat trick."

Loki thoughtfully fingered his pants. "There is a... biological difference you should be aware of."

Tony's eyes widened in immediate interest. "Oh yeah?"

"Don't get too excited. I have no thrilling new parts for you to try. It is only that Asgardians are much more fertile than you Midgardians, and so do not have potentially reproductive sex unless reproduction is intended."

"Wait, so...." Tony sat back, resting on her hips. He was so fragile! She could buck her hips and toss him against the ceiling. "You're a virgin?"

That startled a laugh out of her! "Ha! For a given value of virgin! And I intend to stay that way!"

He rose his eyebrows in exaggerated surprise. "If that's what you want, but... I'm not Asgardian. And I don't know if you people have heard of these things called condoms!"

"From many worlds. They break. They are much too fragile for-" Oh.

OH.

"Oh...." She felt herself start actually blushing.

Her position on Asgard was... tenuous. She had many enemies, and many more who tolerated her frost giant strangeness on the understanding that she was an isolated exception. Having a child on Asgard would be tantamount to blowing a war horn, with her against all of Asgard. She'd understood she wasn't to have children, long before she'd understood why. She'd always known, and so hadn't much mourned it.

But the act... had a mystique all its own, among their people. She'd developed a brief fascination, some centuries back, and devoured everything from scientific texts to erotic literature on the topic. It was said the pleasure of it was connected to the very energy of creating life, and so it was wrong to use such energy for mere base lust. It was said to be... very pleasurable indeed.

She'd assumed she'd never have it.

She looked away, shyly. "How very scandalous of you to suggest."

"What, now suddenly you want to avoid scandal?"

"I... well...."

"I like this. Flustered looks good on you." He finally got her shirt open, and moved his hand teasingly along the exposed gap of skin. "And, not to brag, but I happen to be a world-renowned expert on fucking. I can provide references."

"References?" Loki laughed.

"I am so good, and leave women so impressed, that I can pick up the phone and call in the middle of the night and get a glowing review."

"I'm very tempted to make you do so." Simply for the entertainment. But she didn't much like the idea of him reminiscing with old lovers right this moment. "But perhaps I'll take your word for it."

Tony kissed her hungrily. And felt the little tremors under her skin. "Something else is bothering you."

She bit her lip nervously. "It is foolish. It's simply that... I am not supposed to. It isn't... allowed. I break many rules, and I intend to break this one now, but this one is... big. And deep, and...."

"Rhythmic?" Tony grinned and kissed her neck, failing to disguise his amusement. "This is big, and deep, and pulsing inside you? Is it warm, and filling places you didn't know you wanted to be touched?"

Loki shuddered in pleasure, as his tone dropped from humor to seduction. She vanished all their remaining clothes.

"That's... awesome. Can I eat you out?"

That was familiar ground, at least! She spread her legs, and hooked one controllingly around him. "I insist you do!"

He set himself eagerly to the task. Mmm.... He would make a good thrall, really. Shame he seemed clever enough to keep a tight grip on her heart.

"Hmm. No hymen, at least. That'll make things easier."

She whined at him stopping to make nonsensical comments. "I'm a thousand years old; of course I don't have a hymen!" They naturally opened and faded as a woman reached full adulthood, and- oh! Warmth rushed through her as his tongue found her clit, and he caught the little nub and began to suckle. "Oh, oh, that's- stop, not yet!"

Grinning, Tony kissed up her leg. "I'm going to put my fingers in you, okay?"

She nodded, still panting from her close call. An orgasm that sudden hardly even counted!

Tony took his time, fingers caressing and exploring her folds, learning her, then gradually venturing further into her. She relaxed into this familiar pleasure, and moaned praise; he was doing such a good job, so nice, so- there, yes, right there, please!

"You're so wet, Loki." he purred. "So wet and ready. Is it for me?"

She whimpered and nodded, closing her eyes as her pleasure rose.

"No. Look at me. Don't stop looking at me, understand?"

She gasped and locked her eyes to him.

He grinned at her, breathing hard. "I'm putting a condom on. I'm going to fuck you. I'll go slow. Okay?"

She nodded, and shivered. He was going to fuck her. They were doing this. Just for fun. She lifted her hips, for a better angle, and gasped as he started to slide into her.

Oh. Oh, it felt.... With a little whine, she jerked her hips into a higher angle, and squeezed internal muscles she'd rarely acknowledged before, trying to get that pressure just where she wanted it, just how she wanted it, oh-

"Look at me." Tony said, voice tight with control, as he slowly drew out, and pushed back in a little deeper, then again deeper still. He shifted her hips slightly, just as he slid in again, and oh there, just there! Loki squeezed and pushed up, making a wanting little whimper.

"Oh, right there, huh? You feel so good, sweetie! You're so wet and strong...." Loki squeezed again, and got a gasp from him. He backed out a little, then slid back in, this push long and slow and oh, oh deep and filling, filling, she ground up against him, feeling his thick head deep inside her, and she squirmed and squeezed and moaned and oh, he was all the way in now, and she wrapped her legs around him tight!

"Oh fuck, Loki, amazing!"

She gyrated her hips, demanding pleasure, taking it, finding it. She hiked her hips and tugged him closer still, to get him a bit deeper, and squeezed again.

"Fuck! God, you...." He started rocking in her, pulling out just enough to hit that spot, making her toss her head back with a cry.

"Look at me!" His voice made it a command, and Loki slitted her eyes open and locked them to him. "Keep your eyes on me."

She tried to agree, but it came out as a whimper.

He took her hand and led it onto her own abdomen. "Touch your clit."

She did, and oh, that did feel good, the sensations complemented each other, and he matched his small trusts to her rhythm, her pace, and she was biting her lip, breathing hard, almost lifting Tony up with her hips, head permanently arched back against the pillow as- oh OH!

He did something, something, and the pleasure suddenly flared and spread, intense and warm through her body. She gasped and grabbed his shoulder, needing him close!

"Keep looking at me." he insisted, grabbing her hair as best he could with a broken hand. "So sweet, Loki, so good, keep looking at me!"

Loki couldn't do anything but whimper and shake and need need need, and focus on the pleasure pulsing in her, promising, it was terrifying! Orgasm could be so elusive, its build so tenuous, and if she lost this, if she couldn't have this, she was certain she'd cry! "Please!" she begged, all she could get out, trembling and eyes locked on him and so close, that pleasure building in her! Tony seemed to understand; he focused his rocking, kept it quick and regular and oh oh oh!

The spasm shook her, tossed her like a wave, barely let her choked cry escape her. She went limp for a moment, only to have another wave shudder through her.

She could do nothing but lie utterly limp, eyes blurrily locked on Tony, as he stroked her face and came a moment later, babbling something she couldn't make out.

He collapsed onto her, and their panting mingled. She wrapped a trembling arm around his back, insisting he stay exactly where he was.

"Not bad for a first try, right?" he eventually got out.

She laughed. "You aren't afraid of high goals. You will have a difficult time topping that, love."

"Okay, one, that was nothing, just you wait! Two, 'love'?"

"I have decided I will not turn you into a thrall. I will just have to allow myself to be attached to you."

He rolled his eyes tiredly. "Oh good." He buried his face in her neck.

She stroked his hair idly, contemplating the truly excellent climax still buzzing in her. "Energy to create life indeed. I could do all sorts of things with this."

"Do them in the morning. Cuddling and sleeping after sex are time honored Earth traditions."

\-------------------

At some still hour, Loki awoke to Thor cuddling in behind her.

"I couldn't sleep." he said, tone half plea, half apology. "It's okay when I don't have a choice; I can't do it when I know you're right here."

She sleepily dragged his arm over her waist, even as she kissed Tony's hair, releasing a tiny bit of magic to keep him asleep.

"Oh brother...." And there was the scandal. Something gave away what they had done, and Thor.... His tone was a soft mix of rebuke and worry. "You will have his child?"

A question. He already knew Loki may well have trod all over Asgardian sexual mores. And what answer was he hoping for? If they returned home with Loki - nominal prince, but really more like a suspicious mix of guest, captive, and parolee, with a side of consort - pregnant with a Midgardian whelp... there would be an uproar. Perhaps best Loki stay here for a few decades, until these mortals had run their course. On the other hand, if Loki was not with child, Thor would know him to have profaned something sacred, for the mere carnal pleasure of it. He probably hoped for that. He already knew Loki was an unapologetic deviant.

"We used a condom." Would he think less of her?

Thor only sighed softly, and pressed his forehead against her shoulder.

"Was it good?" he asked, finally.

She took a deep breath of relief. She was still glowing with it, and did not wish a fight, for once. She squeezed her brother's hand on her waist. "It was magnificent! Truly, Thor, it was.... I am very glad I did it."

"Then I am glad."

But there was something sad in his tone. Was he realizing that Loki was once again different, not Asgardian, not up to his standards? Or was he simply regretting that they could not safely share such a pleasure?

She fell asleep again.

\---------

"He is my brother." Loki said, attempting patience. "He doesn't like to sleep alone."

"He was in our bed! He was all wrapped around you! I know you two fuck, but come on, not right next to me!" Tony waved a hand around.

"Midgardians are prone to jealousy." Thor reminded her, as if he was the expert.

"Hell yeah we are!"

"Very well; you're quite right. I will avoid this in the future by spending my nights in Thor's bed only."

"Wait, hold on, I'm not saying that...."

Loki gave him a dirty look, in the middle of helping Thor readjust his armor after a repair.

"Thank you." Thor pecked her cheek, then nudged her to a chair. "Sit."

She did, and he started combing her hair, preparing to braid it out of her face before battle. It was relaxing, soothing her from her irritation with Tony. "What are you saying, then?"

"Just.... How.... What did all that mean, yesterday? In the plane. I'm yours. Are you mine?"

Loki gave him a disbelieving look. But Stark was intelligent, and quickly realized that of course such uncertainty would not be the Asgardian way.

"You are mine." he asserted, firmly.

Loki gave him a little nod, not so much assent as encouragement.

"In what way? What does that mean? Not that you won't have over lovers, obviously."

"Of course not."

"And you don't expect me to not have others?"

"Have whoever you like." Loki might be more prone to jealousy than Asgardians, but that was hardly Tony's responsibility. Tony could bed as many people as he wanted. If Loki took up scaring potential lovers away from him, that was hardly the same as demanding he refrain from taking any.

"Then I don't get it. Are you staying here? Are you expecting me to go back with you? Neither of those seem practical. How am I yours?"

Loki frowned, trying to think of how she could succinctly and precisely break down such a concept. It was something she'd always taken for granted. "Well, Asgardian philosophy mixes individualism wi-"

"It means she's allowed to murder anyone who hurts you, and it's fine."

Mouth still open mid-lecture, Loki turned her head back as much as she could without interrupting Thor's braiding, stared at him, and snapped her mouth shut. "Yes, I... suppose that summarizes the practical aspects of the matter."

Tony looked amused. "Okay then. That's... alright. Well, you two finish up braiding each other's hair; I'm gonna do a suit check." He left, muttering "Can't believe they're literally braiding each other's hair."

A minute later, Thor was happily eating a poptart and letting Loki fix his hair, when Tony stormed back in, waving his suit's face plate. "Green!"

Thor looked up in mild surprise, just as Loki was trying to join two braids from his temples in the back. She muttered protest, and gave his hair a little tug. "Hold still a moment."

"Green?" Thor inquired.

"Green! My suit is green! Loki, why is my suit green?"

"It's a far superior color to red." She'd also modified the AI who spoke to him in the suit to call him 'sexy'. And enspelled the suit so that even if he lost power and fell from a great height, he would be undamaged.

Thor looked around at her, which was fine now she was working down the tail of the braid. "I wear red." He sounded mildly hurt.

"Oh, do you?" She gave Tony a pointed look, even as she bent to kiss Thor's temple reassuringly. "It looks very good on you, brother. But green is far better on Tony."

"Oh my god, you're a jealous little bitch!" He made it sound like surprise, rather than an insult.

"Obviously."

Thor was laughing at her. Or maybe at them. She was tempted to finish the tail of his braid messily, in revenge, but that would only make Thor look uncared for, and in need of another partner. He attracted enough women on this world. He looped his arm back, around her waist, and pulled her around for a hungry kiss.

When he let her go, she started to straighten her clothes, only to be grabbed by Tony and given a similar kiss. She reminded herself that mortals were not good for stabbing.

"I like the green. I think I'll do all my suits in it."

Loki smirked.

"... You already did, didn't you?"

"Of course."

\-----------

The rest of the wraiths were handled without incident.

And then it was time to go home.

Thor was off bidding Banner and the soldier farewell, leaving him with Tony.

Tony was absolutely pouting.

"Sure, I get it, you can't stay. You've got important space business. Whatever." He poured himself a drink. It was kind of adorable.

"I do, yes." He leaned casually against Tony's bar, examining his fingernails, playing as if he had little interest in even speaking to Tony.

"Well, good. Have fun. Don't forget to do whatever it is you've got planned for those crystals."

Loki grunted. "I was considering visiting some time. To see you."

"Interstellar booty call? Great, that'll be fun. I'll look forward to it in what, two years?"

Loki couldn't entirely suppress his smile. "I was thinking Friday."

Tony put his glass down very carefully. "Oh. Um. Yeah?"

"If you aren't busy?"

A genuine smile slowly spread over Tony's face. It was quite attractive on him. Loki decided he would like to see more of those. "I mean, I think I had some public pining on the calendar, but I can make room for you."

"I'm sure I can find a way to fit myself into your... busy schedule." He finally looked up, and smirked at Tony. "Or perhaps I can work myself around you."

"Oh god."

That expression was going to be the death of him. Loki glanced in the direction Thor had gone. No sign. He swept around the bar, grabbed Tony's arm, and hauled him toward the nearest door. "Dirty talk like that will get you everywhere. Let's see what we can work into our schedule right now, shall we?"

Ah, there was that smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end! The next "chapter" is just a bit of crack related to this : D
> 
> I'll probably be back to this; I've got IDEAS for what Loki and Tony can get up to without Thor in the way!
> 
> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


	8. Bonus MetaFic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a more accurate version of how Loki and Tony got together.

One day, Slutty Prince Loki was wandering around Asgard, going about his usual business of causing trouble and bouncing on Thor's cock.

Suddenly, a Wicked Writer captured Thor and made them go off to Earth, for Reasons! Slutty Prince Loki was much annoyed, as the writer would probably make him meet all Thor's overpowered friends.

There he met Tony, a Knight in Irritating Armor, who kept FLIRTING with Slutty Prince Loki.

... Actually, Loki rather liked being flirted with. Did the writer notice the "slutty" part of his name? Loki was totally into Tony's flirting.

The Wicked Writer was not! She disliked irritating-your-way-into-romance storylines, and punished Knight Tony by cursing him to be a villain!

But Loki was like... really into that. The slut.

The Wicked Writer came up with a plan. Cackling to herself, she bid the would-be lovers to consummate their lust... but achieve no real connection, due to their emotional barriers! AHAHAHA! To achieve this, Slutty Prince Loki went into full on God Mode and ravished the poor knight, body and soul.

But it turned out the Knight was really, really into that. And clever enough to call out the prince's emotional distance. The fucking bastard.

The Wicked Writer was unmoved by their love, but finally threw her hands up in surrender and let the morons have at each other on an airplane floor, while Thor rolled his eyes in the cockpit.

And they lived messily ever after; the little fucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've since been moved by their love. But Tony 100% did this himself!
> 
> I'm on Tumblr: <https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runnerfivestillalive>


End file.
